"It's easy to believe in magic when you're young. Anything you couldn't explain was magic then. It didn't matter if it was science or a fairy tale. Electricity and elves were both infinitely mysterious and equally possible - elves probably more so." ~Charles de Lint

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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

IWSG March "Is It Too Late?"

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.

Where to start? I'm emotionally worn out from worrying over one of my kids, but holding on to hope that things will get better soon. In the meantime, I'm pressing forward when I can.

After six long months, I finished working with my editor on Monday. We've come a long way. I'm proud of the improvements we've made to Talia's second novel. The story is stronger. The series as a whole is firmly back on track with my plan, and I'm happy.

My insecurity this month are two fold now that a release date is closer (still TBD).

1. Has it been too long since the first book in the series was released? What if the people who found, read, and enjoyed the first book have forgotten about it? By now they probably don't care what happened to Talia and Landry after the Dragumon were destroyed. How will I reach them again?

2. This book is different than the first one. I think the writing is stronger, but the story moves slower. Granted, THE MAGIC WAKES was a break-neck speed that didn't leave a lot of room to catch your breath. Will the slower pace turn readers off? Will it feel like a "sophmore" novel, or will people appreciate my efforts to deepen my character development?

There's no way to know any of those things until the book is available. And I hate waiting. *sigh*

We've also changed the title. The book formally known as Search For Knowledge will now be THE MAGES DAWN, or THE MAGES' DAWN. Not sure about the possessive or not. I'm going to leave that in better hands than mine. :)

Okay, my nerves and insecurities will continue to nag me until release day. I'm ready. Maybe.
In the meantime, let me leave you with a song that has a lot in common with this installment of Talia's story.

9 comments:

I worried about that with my series. Long time in between and each one had a different flavor. Some fans will like the differences, some won't, and some will find you because of that second book. So it all balances out.

Sounds great, Charity. If your fans liked the first book, they will be eagerly awaiting the second. I have to wait at least 18 months before my favourite author publishes another one. I don't lose interest and always look forward to his launch date. Have a great month!! All will be well.

I get that. When my second novel came out, I knew it was very different from the first. Some readers loved it, some liked it less than the first, but it really just comes down to shrugging it off and moving on. No point worrying. You've done your best and people who enjoy your writing will come back for more. I'm excited for you.

I've heard a lot of different opinions on how much time should pass between a series release. Hopefully, fans of the first book will have followed you and are eagerly awaiting the next book and haven't forgotten. =)